men's fastpitch live on Youtube

[Softball scholar]

Bill,
I am sitting here thinking out all of the “why” of how the low riseball would/could be successful in women’s FP vs men’s?

I hope that I can explain what I am thinking...

In the speeds the men are hitting how much of a difference in movement (or perceived) is there between a low RB and low FB? Is part of the effectiveness the lack of a FB used and the expectation of opposite movement of a DB? Is there an offspeed aspect to the effectiveness?
I am trying to rationalize why use a low RB instead of a CU?

As you can see the answers to these relate to the women’s game. What criteria and combination of pitches would a pitcher need to be successful with throwing a low RB?

I hope that ramble makes sense!


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Ill just add another perspective. One of the strategies of a hitter is to recognize the rise and don't swing at it, as most of the time its not called a strike. If the batter has the discipline to lay off of the rise, they get ahead of the count and can choose to wait for a more manageable pitch to hit or get walked. But if a pitcher can throw the low rise in tandem with a rise out of the zone, then this just blows up that strategy. As the low rise will be called a strike. To see this in practice, just observe the success Kelly Barnhill has had. In college softball she is arguably the best at throwing the rise on different planes, thus resulting in her effectiveness.

 

[Chris Delorit]

Ss,

KB's success is two-fold. She's very good at the reasons that you've described, in combination that there just aren't alot of college hitters who have the confidence, experience or skill level to recognize spin/plane and deploy the barrel on the type of bat path required to hit either fat or marginal upward movement pitches.

KB has some competitive advantages; drive, determination, location (plane as you've mentioned), spin and speed. Alot of the time, she's just more experienced at exploiting weaknesses and better at getting out the hitters she competes against.

In my opinion, It's important to foster and praise aggressive hitting in the development process, and supplement that with teaching young hitters how to study pitchers, how to identify spin and plane and how to adjust posture and barrel path to stay on top of those pitches. Lots of BP = experiences, confidence, skill level and potential for more successes.

Why is a rise ball such an great pitch to hit? Because there are alot of ripe good strikes (mistakes or not), it's usually already elevated in the zone, involves both backspin on the pitch and off the barrel and can be the easiest way to increase your total base count. With success, you also have an opportunity to take that pitch out of an equation and potentially dictate a 2D pitcher. On the other side, if she's both guessing and aggressive, she can quickly dictate a highly successful 1D pitcher.

Chris

 

[Chris Delorit]

Bill,
I am sitting here thinking out all of the “why” of how the low riseball would/could be successful in women’s FP vs men’s?

I hope that I can explain what I am thinking...

In the speeds the men are hitting how much of a difference in movement (or perceived) is there between a low RB and low FB? Is part of the effectiveness the lack of a FB used and the expectation of opposite movement of a DB? Is there an offspeed aspect to the effectiveness?
I am trying to rationalize why use a low RB instead of a CU?

As you can see the answers to these relate to the women’s game. What criteria and combination of pitches would a pitcher need to be successful with throwing a low RB?

I hope that ramble makes sense!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

FD,

A pitching scenario that may be of interest to you..see from 33:00 to 34:30. An example of what Bill had explained for you about sequencing (fishing), albeit setting up the "semi"-low rise with a change with great location. As a batter, that's a Krispy Kreme rise. Freshly served on a platter. Shoulda, coulda, woulda.



Chris

 

[Fastpitch_Dad]

Thanks Chris.

I watched the previous AB as well and that was a RB, DB, RB, RB combo that ended with an outside corner SO. Dang, that is just wicked pitching and so many combinations used at any AB.

Not hard to figure out what pitch is being thrown at that level!!!!



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[Chris Delorit]

Sure, anytime FD.

Didn't want to hijack your conversation with Bill, just wanted to throw in an example for you.

Also take a peek at the release point and you may notice the distinct difference in contact or "brush interference" at the drive thigh between the pitch types within that sequence.

Looks like a young pitcher/catcher combo from Argentina. Another thing for consideration is the quiet, smooth efficiency of the catching style. Little things such as receiving the ball instead of jabbing it, centering the plate well into the pitch, with only subtle lateral adjustments, etc. Some may say assets, not liabilities.

Chris

 

[jdavitsky]

Having played mens...a good drop ball pitcher that can also throw a good low rise means you need to guess, and I wasnt a good guesser

The low rise, especially at the knees after being set up by a drop or two, is a thing of beauty!